Warcradle Studios

Other fleets are centered around the graceful, and superbly equipped Nansen Explorer. Designed for long voyages far from friendly ports, with extensive laboratories, training facilities and cartographic equipment. The Nansen class is in many ways the ultimate expression of Covenant naval ambitions.

Beings from another dimension, Super-human arch-villains, deranged cyborgs created by the government - whatever your nemesis you can rest assured they will take their fight to the streets, in broad daylight to maximise any collateral damage! It is your job, brave heroes, to defeat them without levelling half the city. Good luck!

This 28mm - 40mm scale Warcradle Scenics Supercity Scenery kit contains seven multi-part buildings.

A development on the Murmansk, the Tobolsk Mobile Stronghold is often deployed in the far northern waters where it provides a tactical advantage to the Commonwealth in those isolated freezing seas. Though the void-engines still require many hours to recharge, the element of surprise makes this a uniquely viable technology for these mobile strongholds. Scores of pilots replace the engineers of the Murmansk while launch bays of Cometa fighters are installed instead of repair yards. Despite the discombobulation brought on by the void-engine, all fighters are ready to enter the fray at a moments notice, prepared to launch a lightning offensive catching a target off guard and ill prepared.

Volodymyr Nikonov was gifted a modified mobile stronghold by the Tsar and in gratitude he named it after his love, the Tsar's eldest daughter, Anastasia. Based near Novo-Arkhangelsk in Alaska, this vessel is the home base for Nikonov and his Black Wolf Mercenaries. A pinnacle of the stronghold design, the Anastasia is armed with multiple Tri-Railguns, decked in generators and fitted with both repair facilities and bays of Cometa fighters. Fortunately, if you think they can help, the Black Wolf Mercenaries are available to any commodore for a price. However, you'd better hope that someone else hasn't thought of hiring them first.

Each Mobile Stronghold is treated as a support vessel so are never seen unaccompanied. Any manner of frontline ships will be sailing alongside but most often will be the Kutsov, the iconic ship of the White Navy seen on recruitment posters throughout the Commonwealth.

The twin decks of the Suleiman Fleet Carrier are replete with squadrons of Sabiha strike aircraft. An impressive vessel, the Sultanate values supremacy of the skies that the Suleiman class brings. While her twin hulls make her slower to turn than other vessels of her size, her ability as the flagship in a carrier assault group shows the huge advances the Ottomans are making thanks to heavy investment by the Sublime Porte.

When magnetic impeller advancements were acquired by the Sublime Porte for its navy, it was the Iskandar class that first bore the fruit of the development. Quickly these cruisers have become the mainstay in a highly mobile armada, making excellent use of the engineering to bring glory to the Sultanate.

The enemies of the Ottoman people are right to fear the Sadrazam Heavy Cruiser, should they see one come over the horizon. With firepower comparable to the heavy cruisers of other nations, but the ability to outmanoeuvre almost anything in its class, a seasoned captain will capitalise on this and devastate the enemy.

Pasha Light Cruisers are routinely found at the head of Sultanate battlefleets. A strange tradition has developed among crews, specifically those onboard Pasha’s that have been retrofitted with Particle Beamers. It is seen as a great honour to be the first to scorch an enemy ship, doubly so if it’s a flagship. These races to engagement are seen as reckless by older and more traditional commodores but even they have to admit the bravery of Pasha captains and their crews.

The relatively shallow draft of the Izmir Monitor makes it the perfect defence for estuaries. When not so close to land, it is often paired with a carrier to use any squadrons as spotters. Many enemy submarines have fallen foul of an Izmir working alongside a Suleiman or a Constantinople.

The flight crew of Constantinople Carriers are rightly proud of their assignment. It is said that "the blood of a wingman is thicker than the water of the womb" and that is certainly the case for these pilots. These aerial combatants are like a close-knit family as they know that they can only rely on each other once the fighting starts and don’t let outsiders forget it.

The Mihrimah Flechette Cruiser is armed with a weapon unique to the Sultanate. It can unleash a torrent of Orichalcite Flechettes from its bombards at a target. These light and razor-thin fragments are so sharp they can puncture steel hulls at close quarters, though air resistance prevents them from being effective at longer ranges. While they can certainly cause damage to cruisers, they are deadly against squadrons of smaller ships. A cloud of flechettes can easily envelop multiple vessels and shred through steel and flesh alike.

While the Ferik escort skiffs of the Sultanate are ubiquitous in their battlefleets, they need frequent maintenance to keep their repulsion engines in working order, that’s where the Konya comes in. A bay at the fore of the ship allows a skiff to be loaded in and repairs to be made. Though a commodore knows that a Konya lacks firepower, they never regret having one close by.

An Aydin Supply Cruiser is a welcome sight to other crews. Knowing they won’t run out of vital necessities at a moment's notice is a huge boost for morale and for this reason alone they are constantly on the move, heading from fleet to fleet, only heading ashore to resupply themselves.

Morea Minelayers have become more common as tensions escalate. Sultanate commanders understand that they must keep their holdings around the world at any cost while Order advisors push the fact that anything to advance the greater good is necessary. While the merchant navy of the Sultanate might dislike the sea being mined, they are slowly being fed stories that prove how vital they can be.

Nikonov has a lifestyle and status that he believes befits him. He can see a future where he marries the Tsar’s daughter, Anastasia and claims the throne for himself. When not at court or in action Nikonov operates out of a converted gigantic Murmansk class vessel near Novo-Arkhangelsk. From this fortified harbour-ship he not only has safety but has established a planning room to help with the execution of even more daring raids for pleasure and profit. The Tsar’s favourite story features the Black Wolf in a daring exploit to sink the Union battleship Hornet and Crown carrier Wessex. This attack was all the more thrilling (when Nikonov retells it) as the commanders of the two vessels were allegedly discussing a potential alliance and that the Black Wolf had to infiltrate the heavily-guarded Thames Estuary in London in order to sink them.

In between carrying out missions for his future father-in-law, Nikonov has the latitude given to his growing fleet of submarines and assault craft to allow them to be deployed as mercenaries alongside many rival nations around the globe. Each battle adds not only to the coffers of the Black Wolf but also his prestige at court, even when to some observers such raids do little to further the Commonwealth.

The great powers of the Dystopian Age are constantly testing each other's boundaries, fighting for territory and resources. The Imperium, while comfortably controlling miles of the Greenland coastline, had decided to make a push into the Labrador Sea, to claim some of the Crown's Dominions in Canada. It was believed that in the face of an overwhelming military presence in the region, the Crown would yield and allow the fishing and gas fields to be ceded to the Imperium. With the knowledge that an ill-timed exercise by the Union to the southwest of Canada would draw much of the Canadian airforce and focus to counter this buildup, Kommodore Wilhelmina von Hoeppner was given the Kaiser's blessing to begin the special operation.

The initial forays by the Prussian airships were met by the anticipated patrols from the Canadian Aerial Defence Force. Vast Imperium forces efficiently and ruthlessly silenced these valiant aircraft. leaving the east coast unawares and poorly defended in the face of this Prussian onslaught. It was only in the opening stages of the naval battles that followed that the Crown became aware of the Imperium's intentions, but by then the Atlantic Fleet had been left very much alone in the fight.

Military campaigns take time and logistics to implement, and in the lull following this initial battle, urgent requests for reinforcements to both the High Commission in Ottawa and Canadian Naval Command. Fortunately, the British 14th Rotor Expeditionary Division was on manoeuvres off the coast of Ireland under Air Marshal Clive Spottswoode. The 14th had already followed up on intercepted Luftstreitkrafte communication chatter and triangulated a Prussian refuelling convoy in the mid-Atlantic. Spottswoode immediately saw the threat and, after making use of the captured Imperium supplies, was proceeding at full speed to the Labrador coast.

The Prussian aerial battlefleets began their offensive, led by a mighty Stark Imperium class skyfortress, and supported by aerial and naval assets. The scattered Canadian defences soon rallied and began making strikes at the Prussian forces causing Kommodore von Hoeppner to split off squadrons of her Kreigsturm Assault Airships to hunt down the Canadian patrols in the hope they could take them unawares. What von Hoeppner did not know, but the Kaiser later said she should have anticipated, was that the Canadians had redeployed three squadrons of their new Toronto Class Control Cruisers to the region just the week before the invasion. These advanced vessels proved crucial in tracking Imperium attacks and coordinating Canadian defences at sea, slowing the Prussian advance and buying the Crown reinforcements precious time.

As the Union pushed out into the Pacific and Atlantic, it required significant air power to support fleet operations. The Enterprise class is a formidable warship and the largest vessel in the Union naval register. Once dubbed the Great Experiment, the success of these vessels is beyond doubt. Powered by three massive Paddlewheels, this mighty vessel retains some of the manoeuvrability of the smaller Union ships while still being able to keep the ship moving at an impressive speed for its size. The recent addition of launch cables allow for more rapid deployment of Corsairs, of which it carries ten squadrons. The Enterprise class Heavy Carriers also serve as mobile headquarters for Admirals and other high ranking military and civil individuals of note when the fleet operates far from home waters.

Alongside the frontline ships of the Union Navy, the Enterprise is rarely seen without a small flotilla of support vessels. The Washington Missile Cruiser serves to increase the long-range firepower of the battlefleet as well as providing additional cover against enemy aircraft. Armed with Kettering pattern cruise missiles, the crew of Washington class vessels often make use of observation rotors and spotters in fighter squadrons to ensure the deadly payload strikes true.

The Roanoke Strike Carriers provide increased air support to the already prodigious number of Squadrons carried by the Enterprise. These Cruisers employ powerful electromagnetic catapults to rapidly launch their Corsair strike fighters into the fray, the Roanoke carrier is a valuable vessel in the Union fleet. The class was named after the Union naval base on Roanoke Island, destroyed in 1862 during the Ore War.

A rarer sight are the new Discovery Class Arc Cruisers. Given sufficient development from The Pipeworks to be given general deployment in the Union Fleet, the Discovery class are replete with Edwina Houston and Nikolai Tesla's Arc technologies. These deadly state of the art weapons can flash burn through the hulls of the mightiest enemy battleships in a burst of incandescence.

Finally, with a reputation for working miracles, the crews of Montgomery support ships are always a welcome addition to any battlefleet. Scores of repair teams use a combination of flight gear and escort craft to effect repairs and rescue to friendly vessels in need. These ships are also able to provide field repairs to the RC-52 Patriot Automata. These towering simulacra are designed by the brilliant theoretical engineers at The Pipeworks, and is the largest automata in the Union's military. Just like smaller automata, over time their adaptive computations develop quirks that give veteran Automata distinctive personalities.

For the last three decades, the Victory class Heavy Carriers has been a dominating force around the globe. They demonstrate the huge significance that naval strength plays in all Crown military campaigns. As an island nation, the British consider the seas and oceans of the world as essential to hold their Dominions together. The Victory and her aircraft ensure that remains so. With an internal hanger that is rivalled only by the experimental Ice Maiden of the Imperium, A Victory can launch dozens of Defiant fighters into the skies to defend the fleet from incoming bombers or to hammer the decks of her enemies with their rapid firing Vickers Automatic Guns.

Its aircraft are not the Victory's only defence of course. It is armed with three Mark VII Congreve rocket turrets, giving them significant long-range engagement capabilities. While the Victory is no spring chicken, its solid design and advanced Crown engineering make it capable of keeping up with newer classes of ship.

Alongside the Victory Heavy Carriers are found, not only the common Frontline Squadrons but also Support Squadrons. The Hotspur Support Carriers add additional fighter Support. It is common for Hotspur captains to drive their ships at full speed towards the enemy, hoping that their large engines give their Defiant strike fighters an optimal launch position. The Agincourt Bombardment Cruisers are armed with the dreaded Taranis Naval Mortar, capable of hurling all manner of projectiles up to a range of over fifteen miles.

The Athelstan Flak cruiser provides a screen of anti-aircraft fire to ensure that the Defiant Squadrons hit their targets and to defend the decks of the Crown vessels. A Squadron of Athelstan's was used on the Thames to celebrate the Queen's Pearl Jubilee, firing magnesium pyrotechnics above the city to mark the occasion.

The Excalibur Heavy Destroyers are also typically found with the Victory class ships. Their role is to deter smaller attack vessels from swarming the immense Carrier.

The Tianlong Draconic Colossus uses a combination of rotor engines and repulsion fields to remain aloft. Originally created to patrol the airspace near the Zhanmadao Sky Fortresses and Ziwei Sky Bastions, the Tianlong swoop down, their skilled crews getting the most out of these marvels of Engineering. The Tianlong can be outfitted with different weapons located in the mouth and tail. The choice of the Heavy Huoqiang or the Heat Lancette is a difficult one for most Captains to make. The Heavy gun battery can also be removed in favour of additional crew space to house a squadron of Bushi Ryu. These highly trained Samurai use rocket-propelled armour to descend to assault enemy vessels in hand to hand combat.

Despite the fact that King Sun Li of Korea holds responsibility for all air technology the Emperors Ming and Shinuza have utilised a loophole to jointly commission the construction of a Draconic Colossus to provide air support for their own units. This has caused some amount of frustration for The Cloud Dragon and he has tried to have the Colossi decommissioned or brought under his oversight on several occasions. The Forum, however, has resisted such moves to dismantle such magnificent symbols of the Empire.

There are occasions when squadrons of Tianlong are sent on strike missions, if so they are often supported on the sea by Gong destroyers. These fast, but well-armed vessels are ideal for long-range, fast attacks, complimenting the Draconic Colossi well.

The Labrador Sea had barely stopped roiling when the call for reinforcements went out. Both the Crown and Imperium lost vessels and both were too proud to leave control of the Labrador Sea to the other. Where they differ, however, is their response to the conflict. The Crown sent word to have a battlefleet assemble which is now on its way from the United Kingdom while the Imperium mobilised the Teutonic Knights and used its efficient logistical chain to assemble a battle platform, defended by Vitruvian Colossi, to maintain hold on the area before more support can arrive.

The fight was thought to be over but it seems to have been merely a break in the storm. The Sturginium Skies boil with battle once again. Who will claim the Labrador Sea as their own, the Crown or the Imperium?

Designed to replace the bulky and antiquated Fettah class battleships, the Anatolia Heavy Battlecruiser has proven to be a much leaner and more advanced vessel. The combination of manoeuvrability, firepower and armour is considered, by the Sultanate Military, to be unmatched by the other Great Powers.

One of the oldest flagship classes still in service to the Sublime Porte, the Hurrem Grand Cruiser is a beloved command for many seasoned Captains. Refitted and modernised with the latest weapons and magnetic impeller propulsion, her age is still shows with the lack of an Orichalcite core and her cramped confines making it difficult for her crew. Despite this she is still able to bring considerable firepower to bear against her enemies and her striking design has inspired much of the look of the modern Ottoman fleet.

Nowhere is this more clearly seen than with the Mehmed class Grand Monitor. This modern ship was intentionally designed to harken back to the venerable Hurrem class, a silhouette so distinctive that it confuses enemy analysts as to exact size, strength and composition of Ottoman fleets. The class was named after the great Mehmed himself and Sultanate naval doctrine often sees these vessels deployed to show that the Sultan is always watching over his people. As the captains of these Grand Monitor are drawn from those most loyal to the Sublime Porte, this is not always a comforting notion to the rest of the fleet.

The Izmir Monitor can often be seen supporting a Mehmed class, making sure that the great rivers and coastlines under the Sultans' protection are well defended. Assignment to an Izmir is often seen as a sideways promotion as the constant presence of a Grand Monitor can make a captain and his officers feel they have little chance to show initiative and that any orders they give their crew may be changed at a moment's notice.

When magnetic impeller advancements were acquired by the Sublime Porte for its navy, it was the Iskandar class that first bore the fruit of the development. Quickly these cruisers
have become the mainstay in the highly mobile Sultanate armada, particularly when partnered with Pasha class vessels. These Light Cruisers are often the first to attend a conflict, they are outfitted with extensive observation systems allowing any reconnaissance to be as detailed as possible. This helps the Iskanders and flagships be in the best position to bring their formidable weapons to bear.

Sadrazam Heavy Cruisers are the envy of the world's navies. Advanced Sultanate engineering, the match of even the Covenant of the Enlightened, combines speed and manoeuvrability with enhanced firepower to deadly effect. Regularly fitted with particle beamers, the sight of a squadron of Sadrazams on the horizon is often enough to shake the resolve of the bravest enemy Commodore.

Often seen as part of large battlefleets, the Temir Frigates are employed as flanking squadrons supporting Pasha or Izmir class warships. These frigates are sometimes tasked with engaging a secondary objective while the larger ships proceed with the main thrust of an attack.

Flagship of the Black Wolf Mercenary Fleet and commanded by the charismatic Volodymyr Nikonov, the Death Bringer is feared around the globe. Stolen from the Enlightened during a presentation to the Tsar, Nikonov ensured the Death Bringer was an utterly unique masterpiece by destroying the blueprints and setting the shipyards ablaze.

Extrapolated by Ukrainian engineers from charred blueprints of the stolen Death Bringer, the Akula is still the most powerful in the Ukrainian Submarine Command. One element that was successfully replicated was the Akulas magnetohydrodynamic drive enabling the boat to approach virtually undetected before striking.

Based in Odesa, Ukrainian Submarine Command (UPK) has the lead in subnautical warfare and exploration for the Commonwealth. With an impressive training academy in nearby Zatoka, the UPK provides a steady supply of skilled submariners and vessels like the lethally fast Khyzhak class.

Fast and deadly, the Piranya hunter submarines patrol in packs along the Black Sea and the Bering Strait. With a complement of twelve, the Piranya make for a close-knit boat crew, ideal for such vessels with sparse living comforts on month-long duty beneath the waves.

Of all the Battleships upon the seas in the last 50 years the Britannia Class of the Crown has been considered the heaviest. That is until the Empire launched the Kongo Class Heavy Battleship. One of the deadliest warships to ply the seas of the Dystopian Age, the Kongo is crewed by some of the finest sailors in all of Japan. The design of this behemoth was always aimed at making it as armoured as possible while still retaining speed and manoeuvrability as much as the best Japanese naval engineers could manage. Named after a legendary mountain in the Osaka Prefecture, this vessel truly lives up to the name. With thick armour plates and formidable weapons the Kongo class are the pride of the Japanese fleet.

The supporting cruisers that are assigned to Battlefleets alongside the Kongo vary greatly. From the imposing Hokkaido Heavy Cruiser down to the nimble Kanagawa Monitor there is a cruiser variant for every mission. Japanese Cruiser groups are typically accompanied by Chita Submersible Automata. These engineering wonders are equal to the mechanical creations of the Covenant of the Enlightened and are used to protect the fleet from threats beneath the waves as well as assisting in assaults. While the Chita are designed to operate independently for lengthy periods, they lack the endurance of the much larger Kaiju class automata. Ishikawa strike cruisers and Yamaguchi Attack Cruisers are essential in maintaining these escorts far from a drydock, their moon pools enabling repairs and refuelling of the Chita to take place.

The Okinawa and Miyagi Class Cruisers are equipped with limited numbers of reconnaissance aircraft that act as spotters and limited aerial defence. When needs must they can also perform bombing runs on enemy shipping but usually only when supported by other aerial units.

The Japanese favour Kyoto frigates when running their patrols between the far-flung
islands of their homeland. The vessels are ideally suited for this task and for new sailors a year on a Kyoto is their first experience of the proud naval traditions of the Blazing Sun.

At the heart of the Alliance battleline can be found the Oriflamme Battlecrusier. Thoroughly modernised from the hulls of ageing Prince de Joinville class Battleships, the Oriflamme are the pride of the Republique. As much a work of art as a Battlecruiser, even enemy crews can't help but be impressed by the lines and craftsmanship of an Oriflamme cutting through the waves.

Even the Oriflamme, as elegant as it may be, cannot engage an enemy fleet alone, and so relies on support cruisers to assist. The Chevalier Class Cruisers are the mainstay of Alliance cruisers and are able to launch screens of torpedoes in a wide range of fire arcs, as well as lay down heat lances or rocket batteries, when necessary.

The Charlemagne Heavy Cruiser is bristling with guns, primed and ready to unleash hell on the enemies of the Alliance. Crews are rightly proud of their positions on these ships knowing that often they are being relied upon to deal with an engagement as quickly as possible.

Loire Light Cruisers are at the forefront of Alliance Battlefleets and as such often the first to engage with the enemy. They provide screening and reconnaissance for the rest of the battlefleet and any commodore worth his salt will know how to make best use of any Loire's under their command.

Captains of Picardy Monitors understand their role to guard the rivers and waterways of Europe, and further afield, from invaders. While they may not be the most heavily armed of ships, they have the perfect balance of firepower and ability to operate in shallow waters. Crews are reminded that they are often the last line of defence for civilians and as such are assigned from recruits hailing from inland towns and cities. This ensures they understand what is truly at stake should an enemy vessel get past them and into Alliance territory.

Multiple squadrons of these stalwart craft accompany Alliance Battlefleets. Ecuyere can defend the flanks as well as grouping their attacks against key targets of opportunity.

After Helsinki Markov's treachery stole the Prometheus away from its creators there has been a bitter rivalry between the Covenant of the Enlightened and the Commonwealth. Certain Peers of the Enlightened have decided to make an example of the Commonwealth for such an audacious heist and show that they have as much military influence as any of the Great Powers. As for the Okhrana, the Commonwealth Intelligence Service, they hope for more secrets of the age to be unlocked by luring the various automata and advanced enemy vessels into engagements that they can't hope to escape from. With the plan of dissecting any captured inventions for reverse engineering.

With the help of Mongolian offshore platforms and a web of false leads, the Okhrana have orchestrated for an Enlightened battlefleet to be in place for an ambush. The Commonwealth now has engineering marvels of their own in the shape of Vitruvian Colossi. Will the Enlightened fall for the trap or have the Commonwealth bitten off more than they can chew?

The Saint-Michel Levant Assault Carrier is often the centrepiece of a Levant focused battlefleet. Flight crews of the fighter craft that launch from Saint-Michel are often known as ‘Anges de la Mort’ as a matter of pride. The agility of the skimming Levant Carrier allows it to surge to great heights then descend upon the enemy as scores of ‘angels’ unleash the wrath of President Louis-Napoleon.

The mainstay of the Levant style of ships is the Chasseur Levant Strike Cruiser. Their ability to soar above their enemies if need be makes them hard to precinct as does their various ways of being outfitted. Gun batteries, heat lances or force multiplying generators; even seeing a Chasseur on the horizon makes no guarantee what you might actually be facing in battle.

No captain wants to see an enemy craft soaring above them but the Furieux Levant Grand Corvette make ones blood freeze in terror. That could be the last time the crew feels cold as the Furieux releases deadly thermal cluster bombs. Even the bravest crews know to be rightfully scared if they spot a Furieux rising into the air ahead of them.

As fighter pilots rise in the ranks they may be promoted to become flight crew on a Voliere Levant Support Carrier. The launch catapults put greater strain on pilots and landing on a Levant that could be at almost any height takes incredible skill. Despite this, pilots elevated to this level are often competing with each other to gain more confirmed kills so they can be promoted once again to become the Angels of Death aboard a Saint-Michel Assault Carrier.

Part of Napoleon’s modernisation of the French navy, the Sirene is a powerful attack vessel able to close undetected until it surfaces with its deadly heat Lancette in range to do maximum damage to the enemy.

The tactical counterpart to the Sirene class, the Epaulard uses its secretive deployment to surface at a distance and employ its magnetic bombard to deadly effect.

The Scandinavian attitude to naval warfare is epitomised by the Ragnarok. With a prow mounted Heavy Sturmbringer, and in inbuilt Fury Generator the Ragnarok’s crew closes the distance fast to sow destruction amongst their adversaries, unleashing arcs of lightning that rip apart the target’s superstructure, rendering the stunned crew easy prey for boarding teams.

Accompanying the Ragnarok as they prowl the bitter northern seas, Odin class Reavers are often painted in dark colours by their crews, preferring to strike at dusk or at night. These are the frontline warships in the Scandinavian fleet and every sjöman will have served on one at some point in their career.

Long sharp lines distinguish the silhouette of the Jotunn Heavy Raider. This lethal warship is a prized command by Scandinavian captains, with advanced targeting systems to enable it to maximise its firepower against its target.

Gungnir Class Raiders are built around an exceptional propulsion system, the engineering behind the Gungnir is a closely guarded secret amongst the Scandinavians. Captains have standing orders to scuttle their ship rather than let it fall into enemy hands. The explosive charges throughout the engine room ensure that the advantage will remain with the northern nations.

The Boyar Heavy Frigate packs a surprising punch for its size. Woe betide any captain who mistakes these vessels for a standard frigate. Their combined firepower can be surprisingly devastating if one makes a mistake identifying them. The squadron captains have used this to their advantage by meeting their opponents head on, appearing to be less threatening Rurik Frigates to the unaware, only to turn and show their second gun batteries at the last second where they unleash twice the firepower that was expected. This is often the last mistake that their enemies make.

Huge submersible strike carriers, the Protecteur class was the brainchild of Canadian Frank Andrew Fleming and his assistants at the Davie Shipyard. The Protecteur uniquely combines the capacity of a large support carrier with the stealth and strike capabilities of an attack submersible.

The Newfoundland Class Cruisers the mainstay of the Canadian offering to The Crown's naval forces. These impressive warships are therefore the stalwart frontline in the Crown's defence against Union expansionist ambitions, as well as any other factions who dare to encroach upon the Crown's dominion.

Built on the Newfoundland hull design and outfitted to support fleet operations, the Toronto class Control Cruisers have a vital role in coordinating Canada's defences. The installation of a McGill radar array above the bridge provides an impressive fire control suite. While similar in design and Providing a powerful combination of heavy firepower and an ablative armoured prow, the Bonaventure class serves in the Dominion of Canada's fiercest fighting in the Arctic, Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

Arthur McCurdy's augmented shield generator technology was arguably the most groundbreaking use of the tried and tested Guardian Generator. This huge device is mounted on the Halifax Shield Cruiser, and projects even greater protection to critical elements of Canadian battlefleets.

Designed for supporting and reinforcing Canada's fleet actions, the Yukon class are especially good at establishing blockades and disrupting threats to shipping lanes.

Often the threats to Canada can be deterred or even destroyed long before they engage more visible elements of the Crown battlefleets. Orca Hunter Submarines are silent pack hunters.

Sinister vessels crewed entirely from the cult of the Order, the Retaj Portalship is beyond the limit of the scientific and engineering expertise of the Sultanate. Indeed it is beyond even the esoteric designs of the Enlightened. Able to create stable rifts in the aether and allow entire ships to pass through, these fantastic energies can be harnessed and repurposed most lethally.

Carolus Destroyers are formidable indeed. Crewed entirely by the devout members of the martial religious group known as the Order, they answer only to Sircan Osman on behalf of the Sultan.

The Testbed ship for Nikolai Tesla's revolutionary Arc technologies, the USS Mexico is often sent into the heart of engagements against the enemies of the Union. The results of these engagements make for precious study material at The Pipeworks.

The Union fleet has seen a number of technological improvements since the defection of Nikolai Tesla from the Imperium, and a significant overall increase since the end of the Ore War. Support Cruisers and Automata have all been upgraded by the creative team in the Pipeworks. The Washington Missile Cruiser serves to increase the long-range firepower of the battlefleet as well as providing additional cover against enemy aircraft. Armed with Kettering pattern cruise missiles, the crew of Washington class vessels often make use of observation rotors and spotters in fighter squadrons to ensure the deadly payload strikes true.

The Roanoke Strike Carriers provide air support to any fleets they are attached to. These Cruisers employ powerful electromagnetic catapults to rapidly launch their Corsair strike fighters into the fray; the Roanoke carrier is a valuable vessel in the Union fleet. The class was named after the Union naval base on Roanoke Island, destroyed in 1862 during the Ore War.

Finally, with a reputation for working miracles, the crews of Montgomery support ships are always a welcome addition to any battlefleet. Scores of repair teams use a combination of flight gear and escort craft to effect repairs and rescue to friendly vessels in need. These ships are also able to provide field repairs to the RC-52 Patriot Automata. These towering simulacra are designed by the brilliant theoretical engineers at The Pipeworks, and are the largest automata in the Union's military. Just like smaller automata, over time their adaptive computations develop quirks that give veteran Automata distinctive personalities.

Since Armstrong Custer's famous charge leading the Michigan Wolverine's at Gettysburg, the Iron Horse has become a ubiquitous machine across the frontier. Their combination of speed, firepower and durability led to a massive Union contract with the Covenant of the Enlightened during the Ore War, replacing flesh and blood horses in all cavalry regiments. Now more than a decade later, Iron Horses have become easy to obtain, with Union surplus and frontline shipments making their way onto the black market in vast numbers and the machinery itself proving to be simple to maintain with spare-parts in abundance. While older marks and models of Iron Horse prove to be a little on the temperamental side, the Iron Horse's popularity and variety of designs can be found in use across the Union and beyond.

The Blazer was first used by the Confederate Army during the Battle at Gaine's Mill. The Iron Horse was still in limited service in those early days of the Ore War, but already its endurance and potential were obvious. Twenty-six Iron Horses were heavily modified in the field to mount additional gatling guns and armour plating to shield their riders from the huge attention of enemy fire they would receive once they began their attack. With General John Bell Hood on the lead Blazer, the Confederates tore a bloody hole in the two-mile-long Union flank and the day was carried, despite massive casualties on both sides in the 50,000 soldiers that fought that day. By the time of Gettysburg, both sides had units of Blazers fighting alongside their Iron Horse Cavalry and Blackhooves.

Uniquely found in the Union arsenal, the Iron Eagle is seen by many as the pinnacle of technological evolution for the Iron Horse. More than the replacement of the RJ engine with a voltaic power plant, the Iron Eagle boasts additional armor and electro-weaponry. As the ultimate statement that the Iron Eagle represented the future of Union military prowess, Nikolai Tesla incorporated specially programmed UR-31E Automata to pilot these new machines, giving them a resilience unmatched in the field by other cavalry.

Girauld Eres was one such associate, a Parisian naturalist who had developed into a minor celebrity as he toured Paris society with his collection of primates. Girauld's real passion lay in animal physiology and his personal menagerie was home to some impressive specimens. Showing a talent for specimen capture, he was approached by Warwick Hudson and earned a sponsorship into the Covenant as an associate following his collaboration on the spectral containment technology with Hudson and Katherine Holst.

The support ships that escort the Flagship vessels of the Enlightened Fleets fill some very specialist roles. The Plinius Support Carrier carries dozens of Scythe Drones and can launch them from hydraulic ramps. This allows the Plinius to partially submerge when the ramps are closed making it very difficult to see and target. Built around the same hull as the Plinius are a number of other Cruisers. The Quintilian bombardment cruiser mounts heavy rockets that it can launch at distant targets before returning below the waves. The Tacitus Assault Cruiser favours two hardpoints for turrets, most often Particle Beamers. The Claudius Merchantman is designed with extra hull space and is the backbone of Enlightened logistics, the ingenious engineers still managing to squeeze in a number of torpedo launchers to protect them from pirates and other hostiles.

While these Cruisers are able to lurk just below the surface the Diogenese and Praxilla Class Submarines are able to operate at significant depths. These large Automata operate under a number of pre-programmed subroutines and are effective at hunting down and destroying enemy vessels.

The Izmir Monitor can often be seen supporting a Mehmed class, making sure that the great rivers and coastlines under the Sultans' protection are well defended. Assignment to an Izmir is often seen as a sideways promotion as the constant presence of a Grand Monitor can make a captain and his officers feel they have little chance to show initiative and that any orders they give their crew may be changed at a moment's notice.

When magnetic impeller advancements were acquired by the Sublime Porte for its navy, it was the Iskandar class that first bore the fruit of the development. Quickly these cruisers have become the mainstay in the highly mobile Sultanate armada, particularly when partnered with Pasha class vessels. These Light Cruisers are often the first to attend a conflict, they are outfitted with extensive observation systems allowing any reconnaissance to be as detailed as possible. This helps the Iskanders and flagships be in the best position to bring their formidable weapons to bear.

Sadrazam Heavy Cruisers are the envy of the world's navies. Advanced Sultanate engineering, the match of even the Covenant of the Enlightened, combines speed and maneuverability with enhanced firepower to deadly effect. Regularly fitted with particle beamers, the sight of a squadron of Sadrazams on the horizon is often enough to shake the resolve of the bravest enemy Commodore.

Often seen as part of large battlefleets, the Temir Frigates are employed as flanking squadrons supporting Pasha or Izmir class warships. These frigates are sometimes tasked with engaging a secondary objective while the larger ships proceed with the main thrust of an attack.

The Chevalier cruisers and Charlemagne heavy cruiser are the mainstay of Alliance cruisers and are able to launch screens of torpedoes in a wide range of fire arcs, as well as lay down heat lances or rocket batteries, when necessary.

Loire light cruisers are at the forefront of Alliance Battlefleets and as such often the first to engage with the enemy. They provide screening and reconnaissance for the rest of the battlefleet and any commodore worth his salt will know how to make best use of any Loire's under their command.

Captains of Picardy monitors understand their role to guard the rivers and waterways of Europe, and further afield, from invaders. While they may not be the most heavily armed of ships, they have the perfect balance of firepower and the ability to operate in shallow waters. Crews are reminded that they are often the last line of defence for civilians and as such are assigned from recruits hailing from inland towns and cities. This ensures they understand what is truly at stake should an enemy vessel get past them and into Alliance territory.

Multiple squadrons of Ecuyere frigates often accompany Alliance Battlefleets, defending their flanks as well as grouping their attacks against key targets of opportunity.

No captain wants to see an enemy craft soaring above them but the Furieux Levant Grand Corvette make ones blood freeze in terror. That could be the last time the crew feels cold as the Furieux releases deadly thermal cluster bombs. Even the bravest crews know to be rightfully scared if they spot a Furieux rising into the air ahead of them.

As fighter pilots rise in the ranks they may be promoted to become flight crew on a Voliere Levant Support Carrier. The launch catapults put greater strain on pilots and landing on a Levant that could be at almost any height takes incredible skill. Despite this, pilots elevated to this level are often competing with each other to gain more confirmed kills so they can be promoted once again to become the Angels of Death aboard a Saint-Michel Assault Carrier.

Part of Napoleon’s modernisation of the French navy, the Sirene is a powerful attack vessel able to close undetected until it surfaces with its deadly heat Lancette in range to do maximum damage to the enemy. The tactical counterpart to the Sirene class, the Epaulard uses its secretive deployment to surface at a distance and employ its magnetic bombard to deadly effect.

Prowling the bitter northern seas, the Scandinavian’s Odin class Reavers are often painted in dark colours by their crews, preferring to strike at dusk or at night.

Built around an exceptional propulsion system, the engineering behind the Gungnir is a closely guarded secret amongst the Scandinavians. Captains have standing orders to scuttle their ships rather than let it fall into enemy hands. The explosive charges throughout the engine room ensure that the advantage will remain with the northern nations.

Long sharp lines distinguish the silhouette of the lethal Jotunn. A prized command by Scandinavian captains, the powerful vessel has advanced targeting systems to enable it to maximise its firepower against its target.

Since the creation of the first primitive maps, there have been parts of the world where monsters lay and sailors fear to wonder. The Empire have been inspired by this to create their own monstrosities of the deep. Marvels of engineering created not only to sow fear and doubt in the minds of their enemies but also to demonstrate the mechanical mastery of the Empire. Using the most advanced engineering techniques, overseen by Empress Shinzua herself, huge automata in the form of giant squid have been developed and successfully engineered. The instruction cylinders for these submerged creations are among the most complex outside of the Enlightened fleets.

They have become horror stories told about only when crews are safe on shore leave. Any survivors refuse to discuss them while at sea should they incur the wrath of the Ika. In this way the Ika have become exactly what they were designed to be, the monsters that sailors fear.

The Okinawa and Miyagi Class Cruisers are equipped with limited numbers of reconnaissance aircraft that act as spotters and limited aerial defence. When needs must they can also perform bombing runs on enemy shipping but usually only when supported by other aerial units.

The Japanese favour Kyoto frigates when running their patrols between the far-flung islands of their homeland. The vessels are ideally suited for this task and for new sailors a year on a Kyoto is their first experience of the proud naval traditions of the Blazing Sun.

The Union fleet has seen a number of technological improvements since the defection of Nikolai Tesla from the Imperium, and a significant overall increase since the end of the Ore War. Support Cruisers and Automata have all been upgraded by the creative team in the Pipeworks. The Washington Missile Cruiser serves to increase the long-range firepower of the battlefleet as well as providing additional cover against enemy aircraft. Armed with Kettering pattern cruise missiles, the crew of Washington class vessels often make use of observation rotors and spotters in fighter squadrons to ensure the deadly payload strikes true.

The Roanoke Strike Carriers provide air support to any fleets they are attached to. These Cruisers employ powerful electromagnetic catapults to rapidly launch their Corsair strike fighters into the fray, the Roanoke carrier is a valuable vessel in the Union fleet. The class was named after the Union naval base on Roanoke Island, destroyed in 1862 during the Ore War.

A rarer sight are the new Discovery Class Arc Cruisers. Given sufficient development from The Pipeworks to be given general deployment in the Union Fleet, the Discovery class are replete with Edwina Houston and Nikolai Tesla's Arc technologies. These deadly state of the art weapons can flash burn through the hulls of the mightiest enemy battleships in a burst of incandescence.

Finally, with a reputation for working miracles, the crews of Montgomery support ships are always a welcome addition to any battlefleet. Scores of repair teams use a combination of flight gear and escort craft to effect repairs and rescue to friendly vessels in need. These ships are also able to provide field repairs to the RC-52 Patriot Automata. These towering simulacra are designed by the brilliant theoretical engineers at The Pipeworks, and are the largest automata in the Union's military. Just like smaller automata, over time their adaptive computations develop quirks that give veteran Automata distinctive personalities.

While the Frontline Squadrons of the Crown Navy are used to going toe-to-toe with enemy fleets, the Support Squadrons serve a range of unique roles to aid and assist the fleet as a whole to complete their missions. The Hotspur Support Carriers add additional fighter Support. It is common for Hotspur captains to drive their ships at full speed towards the enemy, hoping that their large engines give their Defiant strike fighters an optimal launch position. The Agincourt Bombardment Cruisers are armed with the dreaded Taranis Naval Mortar, capable of hurling all manner of projectiles up to a range of over fifteen miles.

The Athelstan Flak cruiser provides a screen of anti-aircraft fire to ensure that the Defiant Squadrons hit their targets and to defend the decks of the Crown vessels. A Squadron of Athelstan's was used on the Thames to celebrate the Queen's Pearl Jubilee, firing magnesium pyrotechnics above the city to mark the occasion.

The Excalibur Heavy Destroyers are also typically found with the Victory class or other capital ships. Their role is to deter smaller attack vessels from swarming the immense Carrier as well as other large command vessels.